Two-Way Transparent Micro-LED Display With Selective Darkening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current micro-LED display technologies face limitations in providing efficient and flexible light emission across both sides of a display, especially in applications requiring transparency and curved or irregular surfaces, where traditional rigid substrates are not compatible.
Innovation Solution
The use of a sparse array of micro-LEDs on a transparent and flexible substrate, laminated with a rigid substrate and an adhesive layer, allowing for encapsulation and protection of the LEDs while maintaining transparency and flexibility, enabling light emission from both sides and integration with various optical surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional rigid substrates are used for micro-LED displays, then structural strength and manufacturing precision are improved, but adaptability to curved or irregular surfaces and flexibility are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible thin film substrates instead of traditional rigid substrates to support micro-LED arrays. These thin films can be conformally deposited onto curved or irregular surfaces, enabling the display to adapt to various geometries while maintaining structural integrity through the film's inherent flexibility and tensile strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures combining flexible substrates with protective encapsulation layers and adhesive films. This composite approach provides both the flexibility needed for curved surfaces and the structural strength required for durable operation, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and adaptability.
2Illumination intensity
If micro-LEDs are arranged in dense arrays, then illumination intensity and display resolution are improved, but transparency of the display is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by creating heterogeneous micro-LED array densities across different regions of the display. Areas requiring higher visibility or information display have denser LED arrangements for greater brightness, while areas requiring transparency have sparser arrangements, allowing the display to optimize both illumination intensity and transparency locally rather than uniformly across the entire surface.
3Quantity of substance
If micro-LEDs are mounted on transparent substrates, then transparency and flexibility are improved, but protection and encapsulation are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin film encapsulation layers deposited conformally over the micro-LEDs on transparent substrates. These thin protective films provide mechanical protection and environmental sealing while maintaining optical transparency, as their thinness allows light transmission while their continuity provides protection against moisture and physical damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure with multiple functional layers including transparent protective coatings and encapsulation films with different optical and mechanical properties. This composite approach balances transparency requirements with protection needs by combining materials that offer both optical clarity and environmental barrier properties.
4Quantity of substance
If sparse array of micro-LEDs is used, then transparency and flexibility are improved, but illumination intensity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the spacing, density, and size of micro-LEDs within the sparse array configuration. By optimizing these parameters, the display achieves sufficient illumination intensity for the intended application while maintaining the transparency and flexibility characteristics of the sparse arrangement, rather than using a fixed dense configuration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances user experience by providing rich augmented reality and virtual reality capabilities, improves display efficiency, and allows for multi-display functionality with similar image quality on both sides, suitable for consumer, industrial, and commercial settings.
Implementation Method 1
each of the at least one tile including an array of micro light-emitting diodes (microLEDs), the microLEDs configured to provide light
Implementation Method 2
The spacing between the microLEDs may provide visibility through the transparent material
Implementation Method 3
a transparent rigid substrate adhered to the transparent flexible substrate via an adhesive layer
Data Source
AI summary
A display that contains a sparse array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), system, and method of fabrication are disclosed. The display includes a panel having at least one tile configured to display information. The panel is disposed within or on a transparent material. Each tile includes an array of LEDs, which have a uniform distance therebetween such that light from the array is viewable on opposing sides of the panel while providing visibility through the panel. A darkening layer on at least one side of the panel provides selectable darkening to block the light from exiting the at least one side of the panel.